Braids
by Bookkbaby
Summary: HaoYoh Twincest, yaoi, fluff. Hao's hair always ends up tangled in the mornings, but Yoh has a solution.


Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King, though I would LOVE to own Hao-sama...

Braids

Hao growled, staring at his reflection in the mirror. It was already almost noon, but Hao had just rolled out of bed and dressed; a morning person he was not.

Hao's scowl deepened as he picked up the comb again and struggled to pull it through his hair. Every morning his hair was this tangled, and so every morning he had to spend a good half-hour just struggling to get the knots out.

It was a waste of time- Hao knew he could be using the time in other endeavors, but he was rather fond of his hair and carefully maintained his appearance.

He didn't remember his hair being so tangled in the mornings before he had come to live with his brother and brother's fiancé. Then again, he had Opacho with him and the little girl had always brushed through his hair for him. He had never before needed to do it himself.

Now, however, Opacho and the rest of his followers were gone, leaving only himself to comb his hair.

He tried to tug the comb through one particularly stubborn knot, but the cheap plastic snapped. Hao was left holding the handle in one hand while the teeth of the comb were stuck in his hair.

And he still had other tangles to wrestle with.

With a muffled curse, Hao dropped the handle and yanked the teeth from his hair. The two pieces of plastic made a bit of a clatter as they hit the wooden floor, but Hao ignored it.

He began rooting through the drawers in the small cabinet Yoh and Anna kept in the bathroom. Surely there had to be another comb somewhere...

After several minutes of finding nothing but toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair ties, spare bandannas, and hairpins, Hao grudgingly admitted defeat. There was nothing for it- he would have to go out and buy a new comb, one that would hopefully prove sturdier than his last.

Hao's stomach chose that moment to growl, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since dinner last night. His shopping trip would have to wait until he had eaten.

He knew his hair was a mess, but he left the bathroom and headed downstairs towards the kitchen. He could hear frantic activity inside the room; most likely Yoh was preparing lunch.

He was proven correct once he slid the rice-paper door open. His dear otouto was busy stirring something in a pot on the stove when Hao entered. A timer went off and Yoh jumped, scrambling across the kitchen to turn off the rice cooker and attached timer, then hurrying back to the stove to turn down the heat on a pot threatening to bubble over and cause a mess.

"Ohayo, otouto." Hao called, amused at the picture of a frantic Yoh in an apron.

Yoh found the time, in between stirring two separate pots and getting out bowls and serving utensils, to smile back at Hao.

"Ohayo, oniichan. It's more like 'konbanwa' now." Yoh turned back to the stove, shutting off the heat. "Lunch is ready; Anna would have killed me if I didn't have it ready by noon-"

Just then, Yoh happened to glance at the clock.

One minute to twelve.

"I'm supposed to have this on the table by twelve!"

Hao could almost see visions of 'Anna's Special Training Course from Hell' playing back in his brother's mind as Yoh began to frantically arrange the lunch trays.

With a small smile, earlier irritation at the broken comb all but forgotten, Hao moved forward to help. He didn't usually assist with housework or cooking, but he would for Yoh.

There were many things he wouldn't do for anyone but Yoh.

After lunch was eaten and the dishes cleared away (much to Yoh's relief, they had made it to the table just as the clock struck twelve), Hao and Yoh stood in the kitchen, washing dishes. Yoh was washing and rinsing the plates and cups while Hao was in charge of drying. Yoh would put them away later, but he was grateful for even the small amount of help Hao offered.

Anna had gone out, presumably to shop, and Manta was not expected over until later.

The twins worked in quietly for a few minutes, the slight clink of glass the only sound.

"So, do you have any plans for today?" Yoh asked, simply to make conversation. He handed a wet and dripping dish to his brother.

"I'll be going out later." Hao replied, accepting the plate with his towel-covered hands. He began drying it.

"What for?"

"I need a new comb. Mine broke and I still have knots." Hao frowned at bit at the memory.

Yoh chuckled. It was almost as if the great and terrible Hao was pouting over having tangles in his hair.

"There's a way to keep so many tangles from forming." he told the older shaman, dunking a bowl in the soapy water and began scrubbing. "Before you go to sleep, braid your hair. Some tangles form, but you have fewer knots in the morning than if you let you hair loose."

Yoh scrubbed the dish a bit more, then lifted it and rinsed it.

"Braid?" Hao asked curiously, taking the bowl from Yoh.

"Yeah. Anna made me learn how to braid hair, so I can braid it for you tonight if you want."

Yoh in his bedroom late at night?

Hao smirked at the possibilities.

"How could I refuse?"

Hao had gotten dressed in his sleepwear- a pair of soft cotton pants. They were red with tiny yellow stars and came with a matching shirt, but Hao much preferred to wear just the pants. After all, he had done without a shirt for most of his life and shirts felt too constricting around him.

He heard the door slid open and glanced towards the sound. Yoh stood in the doorway, also dressed for sleep.

The younger shaman dressed more traditionally, usually sleeping in a yukata or a pair of sleeping pants with an overly large t-shirt. Tonight, the teen wore a yukata.

Hao's eyes briefly followed the edge of the material over Yoh's chest, but he doubted his adorably innocent brother noticed.

Yoh smiled at him, shutting the door behind him and then moving to kneel behind Hao. In his hands he held the comb Hao had purchased earlier that day and a hair tie.

"How was your day oniichan?" Yoh asked, gently grabbing a lock of hair and beginning to brush through it.

"I spent most of it with you, so shouldn't you already know the answer?"

Yoh shrugged, unperturbed by the reply.

"It's just making conversation." Yoh fell silent, having discovered the knot that Hao had been wrestling with earlier in the day. After purchasing the comb, one made of thicker plastic than the last had been, Hao had given it immediately to Yoh instead of struggling with his hair by himself. After all, Yoh had promised to brush through and braid his hair; Hao saw no reason to attempt to remove the tangles if Yoh would do it for him.

Yoh was very careful not to pull too hard, but the tangles fell to nothing underneath the comb. It was perfect; Hao had always enjoyed it when his hair was brushed, and the enjoyment was magnified because it was Yoh who was doing the brushing. The hands gently carding through his hair, searching for more tangles, were Yoh's hands. He doubted Yoh noticed, but Yoh was close enough that Hao could feel the heat of his twin's body.

It was almost too relaxing. Hao's eyes shut, allowing him to devote more of his attention on sensation.

It wasn't long before Hao's hair was completely tangle-free, falling like a waterfall down his back. All too soon, Yoh put the brush aside.

Hao sighed internally. He almost wished that his hair had been more tangled, if only so that he could extend the hair brushing session.

He could feel Yoh's fingers gently scrape against his scalp, dividing his hair into three more or less even sections. The fingers gently carded through each section in turn, making sure no new tangles had cropped up. When satisfied that there were none, Yoh gathered the bundles in his hands, each separated by at least one finger, and began to braid.

This wasn't as good as the brushing, but enjoyable in its own way. Yoh did yank a bit occasionally, but never too hard.

Hao could almost feel Yoh's movements grow more fluid and confident as the braiding went on. Too quickly, Yoh was tying off the braid.

"Done." Yoh said, sounding quite proud of himself. "The braid's not as good as Anna or Tamao can do, but it looks good."

Curious, Hao reached back and drew the mass of hair over one shoulder, fingers exploring the unfamiliar pattern of hair.

It was neat and clean; a few hairs were rebelling and struggling out of the braid, but the overall effect, Hao decided, was one he liked.

He could feel some of the hair from his bangs beginning to pull from the braid, but not all of his hair was long enough to weave fully into the pattern.

"Do you like it?" Yoh asked him. "I can try and teach you how to braid your hair tomorrow. I know Pilika braids her own hair sometimes."

"I do like it." Hao replied, fingers still running over the braid. He turned so that he was facing Yoh. "The lessons, though... I think I like it more when you brush my hair and braid it for me."

"I'm not always going to be able to do it." Yoh told him. "I'll teach you tomorrow." He began to stand up.

"Oyasumi, nii-"

Yoh was cut off when Hao grabbed the front of his yukata. The older shaman had shifted, now kneeling instead of sitting, and pulled Yoh into a kiss.

Yoh's eyes widened, but before his mind had caught up enough to struggle, Hao had released him.

Flabbergasted, Yoh could only stare as Hao sat back, smirking.

"Oyasumi nasai, Yoh. I'll be looking forward to those braiding lessons. Same time tomorrow night?" Hao asked casually.

Yoh nodded, tongue still tied. Hao moved to lay down in his futon.

The younger of the two, limbs finally working properly, turned and left. While not exactly a run, Yoh's pace couldn't be termed a walk either.

Lying in his futon, staring up at the ceiling, Hao wondered if his impulsive action had been a bad idea.

Yoh slowly washed the dishes from breakfast. It was only about nine in the morning, so Hao was still asleep.

The plate he had been drying slipped from his numb fingers, landing back in the soapy sink and splashing water everywhere.

Yoh groaned as water soaked his shirt and jeans.

"At least it didn't break." he muttered, fishing the plate back out and rinsing it to dry again.

After drying, he placed the plate in the appropriate cabinet, then made a face as he glanced down at his soaked clothes.

With a sigh, he headed out of the kitchen and up the stairs towards his room.

Anna had gone out again. He knew it should bother him that his fiancé was out of the house more often than not, but it didn't. What bothered him was...

His footsteps slowed and stopped as he passed Hao's bedroom.

Yoh stared at the door, almost trying to stare through to see his twin. His mind played back memories of last night, the kiss a near-constant image in his mind.

He felt his lips heat, as though a phantom Hao was kissing him again.

He hadn't minded that Hao had kissed him. That was what bothered Yoh. After the initial shock, it had actually been quite good.

Yoh hadn't even tried to kiss his fiancé yet. In truth, he had no desire to. Anna, as the days went by, became more like a friend he wouldn't mind marrying to appease his grandparents and less like a person he was marrying for love. He did love her, but it was the same love he felt for Manta, Ryu, Faust, HoroHoro, and even Ren. All of his precious friends were people he loved; Anna just also happened to hold the title of 'fiancé'.

Anna wasn't in love with him either. They were close, and there was love, but they were no longer in love. Both of them had grown up, the childhood crush maturing and changing to an easy, close friendship.

She was still his fiancé.

Besides that, Hao was a man. He was very clearly male, parading around shirtless half the time. Hao had a very nice body and liked showing it off-

-a nice body, Yoh realized, that he had taken note of. A body he could remember the planes and curves of, and not simply because Hao was often shirtless, but because Yoh had taken notice.

Hao was his brother, but that hardly mattered since they could never have kids.

Hao had tried to kill him and his friends, several times in fact, but Hao had changed. Besides, bad people couldn't see ghosts.

But...

Why would Hao kiss him? Was Yoh just overreacting?

Maybe it was simply a 'thank-you'? Still... it hadn't felt like a simple 'thank you'.

Yoh took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The water on his clothes was getting uncomfortably cold, and Hao might wake up.

Slowly, Yoh walked away.

He would think more about it later.

Hao was awake, but he hadn't felt like moving. The futon was awfully comfortable.

He could sense Yoh just outside his door, unmoving and confused.

Perhaps he had been too impulsive. While he didn't regret kissing Yoh, he realized that it may have been wiser to wait rather than to try.

'Still,' he thought as he looked at the comb lying innocently next to his futon, '- what's done is done.'

The action had already happened. He would deal with new problems as they arose.

His lips quirked up in a small, almost sarcastic smile.

'After all, Yoh always says that everything will work out.'

He ran his hands over his hair. The braid still seemed intact, so he would leave it be instead of brushing it out. It wasn't as neat as he would have liked, but he wanted to have his hair braided and had no clue how to do it himself.

Hao stood up, not bothering to fold his futon and put it away. He left the room, coming out just as Yoh exited his own room.

The two stopped for a moment, then Yoh offered a cautious, uncertain smile and walked passed Hao, heading downstairs.

Perhaps Hao hadn't ruined any chance he had after all.

The older twin smirked and followed.

Hao sighed as he lay on his futon. It was almost time for him to go to sleep, but he had too much to think about.

After that small smile in the hallway, Yoh had avoided him. Subtle changes in the way Yoh walked, the way in which Yoh did the chores Anna had so thoughtfully left for him to do; Yoh had done his best to avoid Hao, even when Hao purposely sought him out.

It was frustrating, and also meant that Hao was likely on his own tonight in regards to his hair. Pity. He could have easily gotten used to Yoh brushing through his hair every night.

Hao sat up and flipped the braid over his shoulder to the front of his body. He quickly unbound the hair and methodically began to unbraid it.

It did seem less tangled, though he'd only know for sure once he tried brushing it out.

He leaned over to pick up the comb, but the sound of the door opening caught his attention.

Anna had already gone to bed, so it could only be one person.

He sat up, not turning to look.

"Hello, otouto." He said.

Yoh shut the door behind him and came over to kneel behind Hao, just as he had done last night.

"I promised to show you how to braid your hair, right?" Yoh said quietly, picking up the comb. "It's not hard."

"Mmm." Hao murmured in agreement. Yoh was combing his hair again, but there were far fewer tangles than there had been last night. Even with all of Hao's hair, Yoh had set the comb down within ten minutes.

Just as he had last night, Yoh separated the hair into three mostly even bunches.

"You take this bit here-" Yoh gently tugged on the bundle over Hao's right shoulder to let his brother know what he was talking about. "- and pull it over the middle bundle. Then take this one-"

The bundle over the left shoulder was tugged.

"-and put it over the first bundle." Yoh paused as he put the bunch in place. "Maa... I'm not good at explaining this."

"It's all right." Hao told him. "Continue."

Yoh chuckled at the command, but did as told. The younger twin tried to explain a bit more about braids, but gave up halfway through and braided the rest of Hao's hair in silence.

Yoh quickly tied off the mass of hair, then leaned forward to rest his forehead on Hao's back.

The older shaman held still.

"I know I probably didn't explain well." Yoh said quietly. "I'll try teaching you again tomorrow."

"I'd like that." Hao replied just as softly. He turned a bit to look at Yoh. "Oyasu-"

Yoh kissed him. The brush of lips was just as chaste and brief as Hao's kiss the night before had been, but it was there.

"Oyasumi nasai, Hao." Yoh told him, smiling.

Yoh stood up, a faint red visible on his cheeks.

"See you tomorrow, Hao." With that, Yoh turned and left.

Hao only recovered from his surprise when the rice-paper door slid shut. Slowly, his lips curved into a smile and he lay back down on his futon.

He was really beginning to grow attached to having his hair braided. The style was definitely one of his favorites.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

END


End file.
